Publication Abstracts

Robertson et al. 2001

Robertson, A., J. Overpeck, D. Rind, E. Mosley-Thompson, G. Zielinski, J. Lean, D. Koch, J. Penner, I. Tegen, and R. Healy, 2001: Hypothesized climate forcing time series for the last 500 years. J. Geophys. Res., 106, 14783-14803, doi:10.1029/2000JD900469.

A new compilation of annually resolved time series of atmospheric trace gas concentrations, solar irradiance, troposheric aerosol optical depth, and stratospheric (volcanic) aerosol optical depth is presented for use in climate modeling studies of the period 1500-1999 A.D. Atmospheric CO2, CH4, and N2O concentrations over this period are well established on the basis of fossil air trapped in air cores and intrumental measurements over the last few decades. Estimates of solar irradiance, ranging between 1364.2 and 1368.2 W/m2, are presented using historical observations of the Sun back to 1610, along with cosmogenic isotope variations extending back to 1500. Tropospheric aerosol distributions are calculated by scaling the modern distribution of sulfate and carbonaceous aerosol optical depths back to 1860 using reconstructed regional CO2 emissions; prior to 1860 the anthropogenic tropospheric aerosol optical depths are assumed to be zero. Finally, the first continuous, annually dated record of zonally averaged stratospheric (volcanic) optical depths back to 1500 is constructed using sulfate flux data from multiple ice cores from both Greenland and Antarctica, in conjunction with historical and instrumental (satellite and pyrheliometric) observations. The climate forcings generated here are currently being used as input to a suite of transient (time dependent) paleoclimate model simulations of the past 500 years. These forcings are also available for comparison with instrumental and proxy paleoclimate data of the same period.

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BibTeX Citation

@article{ro09100s,
  author={Robertson, A. and Overpeck, J. and Rind, D. and Mosley-Thompson, E. and Zielinski, G. and Lean, J. and Koch, D. and Penner, J. and Tegen, I. and Healy, R.},
  title={Hypothesized climate forcing time series for the last 500 years},
  year={2001},
  journal={Journal of Geophysical Research},
  volume={106},
  pages={14783--14803},
  doi={10.1029/2000JD900469},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - ro09100s
AU  - Robertson, A.
AU  - Overpeck, J.
AU  - Rind, D.
AU  - Mosley-Thompson, E.
AU  - Zielinski, G.
AU  - Lean, J.
AU  - Koch, D.
AU  - Penner, J.
AU  - Tegen, I.
AU  - Healy, R.
PY  - 2001
TI  - Hypothesized climate forcing time series for the last 500 years
JA  - J. Geophys. Res.
JO  - Journal of Geophysical Research
VL  - 106
SP  - 14783
EP  - 14803
DO  - 10.1029/2000JD900469
ER  -

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